Profile 14: Tobique—Mactaquac

c9's Pretty Clearly Left-Leaning Riding Write-ups!

Riding: Tobique—Mactaquac
Map: http://www.elections.ca/scripts/pss/maps/13010.pdf
More info on your riding

Riding 13010, Tobique—Mactaquac, includes leapfish's Mom. He says gun control is a big issue, and that the NDP candidate has a pond.

The 2001 census counted 70,105 residents. About one-sixth are francophones; only three per cent are immigrants. Manufacturing is the biggest employer here. The average family income is $48,650, and unemployment is 11.9 per cent.

Population: 70,105

In 2004, Liberal Andy Savoy held on to the office he gained here in 2000, when he unseated incumbent Tory Gilles Bernier by just 147 votes. Bernier, in turn, had knocked off Liberal MP Pierrette Ringuette-Maltais in 1993.

(writeup above primarily from cbc.ca)

2006 Candidates:
Mike Allen (Conservative Party of Canada)
Robert Bérubé Jr. (Green Party of Canada)
Alice Finnamore (New Democratic Party)
Andy Savoy (Liberal Party of Canada) (incumbent)

Recent Election Results:

	LIB	CPC	PC	CA	REF	NDP	OTHER
2004	48.2%	39.6%				8.5%	3.7%
2000	33.6%		33.1%	29.5%		3.7%
1997	30.2%		35.9%		27.7%	6.2%

Prior to 1997, the riding did not exist, but the area has a PC / Liberal 60/40 split history, roughly.

January 10th: Andy is very popular, but the strong conservative vote in recent years makes it tricky to predict. I say "I don't know."
January 18t: I think Andy's going to go. The COnservative surge will eat many ridings like this one.

www.electionprediction.org says: Liberal, but I'd actually call it too close to call.

In this riding, the NDP typically runs last, so vote Liberal if you're worried about the Conservatives. It will be close.

Hot Issue: Equal Marriage. The incumbent is not supportive. He got a D from Egale Canada. Too many Liberals like that, annoyingly.


( Explanations and non-riding-specific information )

Disclaimer: Your vote is your choice. If you think I'm wrong go ahead and (a) comment about it, and (b) vote your heart. I can take it.

Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar's.

Why do people think putting mushrooms in a Caesar Salad is a good idea? Clearly it's not.

petele's Travel Meme (GUI version)

The furthest north, south, east and west I've ever been, relative to where I am now.



(http://www.webwalking.com/googlemap.htm)

Profile 15: Kitchener—Conestoga

c9's Pretty Clearly Left-Leaning Riding Write-ups!

Riding: Kitchener—Conestoga
Map: http://www.elections.ca/scripts/pss/maps/P35038.pdf
More info on your riding

Riding 35038, Kitchener—Conestoga, includes both urban and rural areas, including part of the city of Kitchener. The riding surrounds the Kitchener-Waterloo and Kitchener Centre ridings and contains the townships of Wilmot, Wellesley and Woolwich.

According to the 2001 census, nine per cent of the population is of German origin. Manufacturing and the service sector are two of the major employers. Average family income is $72,893 and unemployment is 4.6 per cent.

Kitchener-Conestoga riding was created in 2004 from 62 per cent of Waterloo-Wellington and portions of Kitchener Centre and Cambridge. For historical data, I'll use Waterloo—Wellington since it provided most of the voters.

Population: 96,000

(writeup above primarily from cbc.ca)

2006 Candidates:
Harold Glenn Albrecht (Conservative Party of Canada)
Len Carter (New Democratic Party)
Lynn Myers (Liberal Party of Canada) (incumbent)
Kristine Yvonne Stapleton (Green Party of Canada)

Recent Election Results:

	LIB	CPC	PC	CA	REF	NDP	OTHER
2004	42.3%	35.4%				15.7%	6.6%
2000	43.7%		17.8%	32.9%		4.1%	1.6%
1997	44.0%		18.0%		31.1%	7.0%

Prior to 1997, the area's MP was: Liberal (1993-present), and PC (1979-1993).

This riding has a large rural element, but the many large towns contained in it seem to be Liberal enough to keep Lynn Myers hanging on. All of Southern Ontario is at risk for the Liberals, and the traditional conservatism of much of the area doesn't help. If the Liberals were running a better campaign, I'd call it for Myers, but the way things look today (Jan 18), I call it Tory.

www.electionprediction.org says: Conservative. Was too close to call until this week.

In this riding, the NDP typically runs third. If you are scared to give an inch to the Conservatives anywhere, vote Liberal here. Your vote could make the difference, meaning so-called strategic voting.

Hot Issue: Equal Marriage. The incumbent is very supporting. Egale Canada gives him an A+ on GLBT issues.


( Explanations and non-riding-specific information )

Disclaimer: Your vote is your choice. If you think I'm wrong go ahead and (a) comment about it, and (b) vote your heart. I can take it.

South Africa Trip Report

In early 2001, I went to South Africa, as you may have deduced by my map. It was amazing and I would go back in a heartbeat.

Every time I go on a big trip, I write ridiculously long emails about the trip. I've posted a few on my livejournal as a way or archiving them, but never posted these ones until tonight.

South Africa: A Two-Week Eye Opening, parts one, two, and three. (Warning: very long)

I also have a hundred photos, but they're the old-fashioned kind that are printed on paper, so you'll have to ask to see them when you visit.

Update: Having reread my stories for the first time since I wrote them, I (a) am ashamed of my typos and one flat-out mistake, and (b) wish I was better read so that I could have made an Ayn Rand joke.

Lesser-knowns

A funny look at the lesser-known parties fielding candidates in this election...

Western Block Party

Website slickness: One hour's work with Front Page

In their own words: "The primary objective of the Western Block Party is to create Western Canada as a free and independent nation."

The above is pretty much the only full sentence on the site. C'mon guys, you have to work a little harder than this!